WER highlights hidden Iraqi refugee crisis in Jordan
Amy Whiddett
Website: http://www.wer-uk.org
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Following a visit to Jordan last week, Alex Haxton, director of operations for World Emergency Relief, has expressed concern at the plight of Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
It is estimated that more than 700,000 Iraqis have fled over the border into Jordan. With no official registration process in place, those fleeing Iraq do not have refugee status within Jordan. Many are living in the country as illegal immigrants without visas.
Families are often separated since Iraqi men aged between 18 and 40 years of age are not permitted to cross the border into Jordan for fear of terrorists entering the country.
"We met an Iraqi woman who was living in Jordan with her children. Her husband had returned to Iraq for a brief visit to members of their family still living in the country. When he tried to rejoin his wife and children in Jordan, he was turned back because of his age. He does not know when he will see his wife and children again," says Haxton.
Hanya and her 9 year old daughter Rita are also amongst the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have sought refuge in Jordan. At 29 years old, Hanya is already a widow. When her husband was killed, Hanya and her daughter were granted temporary visas for Germany, but after 6 months were forced to return to Iraq. Although Rita has since been granted a visa for Canada, Hanya has been waiting a year and a half in Jordan for her visa to be considered. As a result, both mother and daughter are today living as illegal imigrants in Jordan. They have nowhere else to go.
"These and other refugees I met were only surviving because of the support of people within the Jordanian Christian community," says Haxton. "In every home we visited there were at least two or three families sharing no more than two rooms. None of them could afford fuel to heat their homes. Most were despondent about their future hopes.
"The international community needs to take action now to address the desperate situation of the Iraqi refugees."
In response to the current crisis facing Iraqi refugees, WER, in conjunction with Scottish charity Glasgow the Caring City, is shipping a further 40ft container of humanitarian supplies to Jordan. This latest WER support includes clothing, blankets, food, soap and essential items needed for day to day living and is in addition to two previous shipments sent in December 2006.
To make a donation to support WER's work or for further information, please call WER on 0870 429 2129 or visit www.wer-uk.org
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